Twelve miles off of the port of Galiee, across Block Island Sound, lies the small community of New Shoreham. New Shoreham, the only town on Block Island, is a small island paradise with beautiful scenery and a large summer tourist attraction in the state of Rhode Island. New Shoreham has the distinction of being the smallest town in the smallest state. True to its name, Block Island, is a small island off the coast of Rhode Island, just 10 square miles, and a short twelve mile boat ride away (Town of New Shoreham, 2007). To get to Block Island, you can fly, landing on the tiny Block Island Airport, or the most popular way of travel is to take off on a ferry from Galilee. New Shoreham is a small quiet community of about one thousand people during the winter. In the summer, Block Island is a favorite vacation spot and party destination for all ages. With its miles off white and black, darkened by the sun, sand, B.I is the paradise of New England. The small public school system, New Shoreham School, shown above, is the only one on the island, composed of only 140 students and about 30 teachers, all who live there all year long. This report will provide an accurate description of the Block Island community and school/district. Since Block Island is an island, there is no New Shoreham school district, which is why I combined district summery and community background. This report would be of interest to anyone learning about Block Island, or a future teacher in this school district. An above average school system, this small island is a highly desired place of education, work, and pleasure
Community Background
Block Island is the ultimate summer paradise. The island itself was formed ten thousand years ago from glacier rocks and is oddly shaped as a pork chop. New Shoreham is the only town on the island. It was established in 1672, and deemed as "The Smallest Town in The Smallest State in America" (Block Island Tourism Council, 2008). Water Street, in Old Harbor, is the tourist destination. Located a few steps away from where you get off the ferry, the street is lined with hip, expensive stores, selling vintage clothes, which seems to capture the block island look, gift shoppers stocked with every article of clothing; sweatshirts, tee-shirts, shorts, shoes, stamped with the Block Island logo, some unique stores selling furniture or baskets, and of course, plenty of food. Nice restaurants and ice cream and candy stores are all over Water Street. Also popular hotels combined with restaurants on the bottom are popular tourist attractions, like the Harbor side, which is known as the place where party-goers stay, never straying, especially from the bar, while on Block Island. Though the main road has over 50 stores, there is only one semi-commercial chain store, the only one on the entire island, Ben and Jerry's. With no commercial stores Block Island still manages to have places of entertainment and purpose. The island has two grocery stores, a 3-screen cinema, an arcade, a post office, a farm, and a skate park. There is so much do and to see on Block Island. Sadly many tourists never leave water street and the beaches. Block Island has some of the most unique landscapes, monuments, and ecosystems in New England. With 365 fresh water ponds scattered around the island, 17 miles of beach, 32 miles of nature trails, and 300 to 400 miles of man-made stonewalls. The best part about the island is the raw and rare natural beauty. This can be found especially in the 250 foot bluffs, on the edge of more than one third of Block Island. In fact 43% of the island is preserved by the Block Island Nature Conservancy (Block Island Tourism Council, 2008). Along with the scenery, a popular monument in Block Island is the North Light, which had to be moved back several times to avoid getting washed away by the erosion in the clay bluffs. At this lighthouse, Block Island pays tribute to all the boats which have been wreaked from the bluff. Block Island is beautiful spot for relaxation and sight seeing.
Income/Poverty Level
New Shoreham
Rhode Island
US
Median Household Income
$52,587
$51,814
$48,451
Median Family Income
$58,979
$64,733
$58,526
Per Capita Income
$21,096
$25,937
$25,267
Family Below Poverty Level
3.7%
7.8%
9.2%
Individual Below Poverty Level
6.1%
11.1%
12.4%
table: (NCPESP, 2008).
New Shoreham is known to be the Martha’s Vineyard of Rhode Island, a wealthy resort- like summer community, but to the contrast, community's household income is an average income for Rhode Island and a few thousand above family income for the United States. As for poverty level, since Block Island is such a small island, the poverty level in is below average Rhode Island and United States percentages. Only 10% are eligible for the subsidized lunch program. Living on the island is expensive. The restaurants, hotels, B&B's, and even groceries charge more then the mainland, since they have to be shipped across Block Island sound by ferry. The town is recently making effects to provide low-income housing since property on the island is becoming only affordable to wealthy summer people. They are in the process on building these establishments around the island for a lower to middle class crowd.
With its small population of 1,010 people throughout the winter, Block Island is a safe and desired place for living with a family or as a priceless retirement setting. In the summer though, tourist from around the United States flock to Block Island for a summer getaway. This causes the population to rise to about 12,000 residents included in about 15,000 through 20,000 average visitors a day (Block Island Tourism Council, 2008). College students are a large part of the population increase in the summer. They are able to find work around the island at various hotels and restaurants that are only open during the summer. Though the college students leave during the winter, According to the 2007 Salt survey, 47% of the students in the school used the drug marijuana, 20% more than the average in the United States. Alcohol is also 20% higher than the national average at 62% of students (CLIKS: Profile for New Shoreham, RI, 2007).
Race
New Shoreham
Rhode Island
US
White
89%
85%
75.1%
Black/ African American
1%
4.5%
12.3%
Asian
2%
2.3%
3.6%
Hispanic
8%
8.7%
12.5%
New Shoreham is primarily white. Besides 8% of Hispanics, 89% are Caucasian. Since whites are the large group, there is little diversity in the Block Island school system. Since there is only 11% minority, only 3 % of the students need the English as a Second Language (ESL) service ( U.S Census Bureau).
School Analysis
This analysis of the school of New Shoreham is going to discuss the diversity in the school, funding from the town, state and government, per-pupil expenditures, and general information about the school and it's condition. The New Shoreham School of year-round islanders has approximately 140 students in kindergarten through twelve. The graduating class of 2007 was only 5 kids (Public Schools and Online Education Information, 2007). The small building shown up at the top of the page is the entire school, along with a new playground is the back of the building. Since the classes are so small, graduation rate is 100 percent every year. This school is high preforming, meeting 9 out of 9 targets in No Child Left Behind (Infoworks 2008 report: Accountability, 2008). An average attendance rate, 91%, compared to 90% in Rhode Island schools (NCPESP, 2008).
Sources of Revenue/Funding
Revenue/Funding
New Shoreham Schools
RI
Local
95% - $3.7M
55% - $1.1B
State
3% - $.1M
37% - $749.8M
Federal
2% - $.1M
7% - $145.6M
Since Block Island is such a small school and community, state and federal funding, at 3% and 2% is exceptionally low comparable to the rest of Rhode Island. Because of the same fact, local funding is high in the town, at 95%, compared to Rhode Island at 55%. This shows the community's support and investment into the education and future of the kids (NCPESP, 2008).
Per-pupil Expenditures Excluding Other Commitments
Indicator
New Shoreham
All Programs
RI
All Programs
Number of students
140
14,785
Number of teachers
30
14,160
Teacher/student ratio
1:4
1:10
Total Expenditure
$3,012,380
$1,813,369,500
Total per-pupil Expenditure
$21,517
$12,700
Statement:
The amount of money spent per-pupil is almost double to the rest of the state. The most likely explanation is because it only has 140 kids. Since New Shoreham spends so much per-pupil, that school resources and equipment are in all relatively new condition. Block Island student/teacher ratio is 1 to 4. Compared to an average in Rhode Island schools being 1:10, this shows the privileged education received by students in Block Island (NCPESP, 2008). The school containing only 140 students, teacher are able to customize and work one to one with students easily. leaving virtually no students without aid.
Conclusion
New Shoreham schools are a great place to get a quality education in Rhode Island. A fun summer town, and a close-knit community in the winter, Block Island is a small school in a relaxed atmosphere. This report discussed the quality of Block Island's small by proficient school system and detailed the small-town community in which students are brought up in. This report will be helpful to anyone planning to live or teach on Block Island because of the facts on the income, race, per-pupil expenditures, and community background. Block Island is proven to be an exceptional school compared to others in Rhode Island.
New Shoreham Schools
Introduction
Twelve miles off of the port of Galiee, across Block Island Sound, lies the small community of New Shoreham. New Shoreham, the only town on Block Island, is a small island paradise with beautiful scenery and a large summer tourist attraction in the state of Rhode Island. New Shoreham has the distinction of being the smallest town in the smallest state. True to its name, Block Island, is a small island off the coast of Rhode Island, just 10 square miles, and a short twelve mile boat ride away (Town of New Shoreham, 2007). To get to Block Island, you can fly, landing on the tiny Block Island Airport, or the most popular way of travel is to take off on a ferry from Galilee. New Shoreham is a small quiet community of about one thousand people during the winter. In the summer, Block Island is a favorite vacation spot and party destination for all ages. With its miles off white and black, darkened by the sun, sand, B.I is the paradise of New England. The small public school system, New Shoreham School, shown above, is the only one on the island, composed of only 140 students and about 30 teachers, all who live there all year long. This report will provide an accurate description of the Block Island community and school/district. Since Block Island is an island, there is no New Shoreham school district, which is why I combined district summery and community background. This report would be of interest to anyone learning about Block Island, or a future teacher in this school district. An above average school system, this small island is a highly desired place of education, work, and pleasureCommunity Background
Block Island is the ultimate summer paradise. The island itself was formed ten thousand years ago from glacier rocks and is oddly shaped as a pork chop. New Shoreham is the only town on the island. It was established in 1672, and deemed as "The Smallest Town in The Smallest State in America" (Block Island Tourism Council, 2008). Water Street, in Old Harbor, is the tourist destination. Located a few steps away from where you get off the ferry, the street is lined with hip, expensive stores, selling vintage clothes, which seems to capture the block island look, gift shoppers stocked with every article of clothing; sweatshirts, tee-shirts, shorts, shoes, stamped with the Block Island logo, some unique stores selling furniture or baskets, and of course, plenty of food. Nice restaurants and ice cream and candy stores are all over Water Street. Also popular hotels combined with restaurants on the bottom are popular tourist attractions, like the Harbor side, which is known as the place where party-goers stay, never straying, especially from the bar, while on Block Island. Though the main road has over 50 stores, there is only one semi-commercial chain store, the only one on the entire island, Ben and Jerry's. With no commercial stores Block Island still manages to have places of entertainment and purpose. The island has two grocery stores, a 3-screen cinema, an arcade, a post office, a farm, and a skate park. There is so much do and to see on Block Island. Sadly many tourists never leave water street and the beaches.
Block Island has some of the most unique landscapes, monuments, and ecosystems in New England. With 365 fresh water ponds scattered around the island, 17 miles of beach, 32 miles of nature trails, and 300 to 400 miles of man-made stonewalls. The best part about the island is the raw and rare natural beauty. This can be found especially in the 250 foot bluffs, on the edge of more than one third of Block Island. In fact 43% of the island is preserved by the Block Island Nature Conservancy (Block Island Tourism Council, 2008). Along with the scenery, a popular monument in Block Island is the North Light, which had to be moved back several times to avoid getting washed away by the erosion in the clay bluffs. At this lighthouse, Block Island pays tribute to all the boats which have been wreaked from the bluff. Block Island is beautiful spot for relaxation and sight seeing.
Income/Poverty Level
New Shoreham is known to be the Martha’s Vineyard of Rhode Island, a wealthy resort- like summer community, but to the contrast, community's household income is an average income for Rhode Island and a few thousand above family income for the United States. As for poverty level, since Block Island is such a small island, the poverty level in is below average Rhode Island and United States percentages. Only 10% are eligible for the subsidized lunch program. Living on the island is expensive. The restaurants, hotels, B&B's, and even groceries charge more then the mainland, since they have to be shipped across Block Island sound by ferry. The town is recently making effects to provide low-income housing since property on the island is becoming only affordable to wealthy summer people. They are in the process on building these establishments around the island for a lower to middle class crowd.
With its small population of 1,010 people throughout the winter, Block Island is a safe and desired place for living with a family or as a priceless retirement setting. In the summer though, tourist from around the United States flock to Block Island for a summer getaway. This causes the population to rise to about 12,000 residents included in about 15,000 through 20,000 average visitors a day (Block Island Tourism Council, 2008). College students are a large part of the population increase in the summer. They are able to find work around the island at various hotels and restaurants that are only open during the summer. Though the college students leave during the winter, According to the 2007 Salt survey, 47% of the students in the school used the drug marijuana, 20% more than the average in the United States. Alcohol is also 20% higher than the national average at 62% of students (CLIKS: Profile for New Shoreham, RI, 2007).
Race
New Shoreham is primarily white. Besides 8% of Hispanics, 89% are Caucasian. Since whites are the large group, there is little diversity in the Block Island school system. Since there is only 11% minority, only 3 % of the students need the English as a Second Language (ESL) service ( U.S Census Bureau).
School Analysis
This analysis of the school of New Shoreham is going to discuss the diversity in the school, funding from the town, state and government, per-pupil expenditures, and general information about the school and it's condition. The New Shoreham School of year-round islanders has approximately 140 students in kindergarten through twelve. The graduating class of 2007 was only 5 kids (Public Schools and Online Education Information, 2007). The small building shown up at the top of the page is the entire school, along with a new playground is the back of the building. Since the classes are so small, graduation rate is 100 percent every year. This school is high preforming, meeting 9 out of 9 targets in No Child Left Behind (Infoworks 2008 report: Accountability, 2008). An average attendance rate, 91%, compared to 90% in Rhode Island schools (NCPESP, 2008).Sources of Revenue/Funding
Since Block Island is such a small school and community, state and federal funding, at 3% and 2% is exceptionally low comparable to the rest of Rhode Island. Because of the same fact, local funding is high in the town, at 95%, compared to Rhode Island at 55%. This shows the community's support and investment into the education and future of the kids (NCPESP, 2008).
Per-pupil Expenditures Excluding Other Commitments
All Programs
All Programs
The amount of money spent per-pupil is almost double to the rest of the state. The most likely explanation is because it only has 140 kids. Since New Shoreham spends so much per-pupil, that school resources and equipment are in all relatively new condition. Block Island student/teacher ratio is 1 to 4. Compared to an average in Rhode Island schools being 1:10, this shows the privileged education received by students in Block Island (NCPESP, 2008). The school containing only 140 students, teacher are able to customize and work one to one with students easily. leaving virtually no students without aid.
Conclusion
New Shoreham schools are a great place to get a quality education in Rhode Island. A fun summer town, and a close-knit community in the winter, Block Island is a small school in a relaxed atmosphere. This report discussed the quality of Block Island's small by proficient school system and detailed the small-town community in which students are brought up in. This report will be helpful to anyone planning to live or teach on Block Island because of the facts on the income, race, per-pupil expenditures, and community background. Block Island is proven to be an exceptional school compared to others in Rhode Island.References
Block Island Tourism Council: Island Information. (2008). Block Island Tourism Council. . Retrieved October 7, 2008, from http://www.blockislandinfo.com/ViewPage.aspx?SectionID=7.
Block Island Tourism Council: New Shoreham (town). (2008). Block Island Tourism Council. . Retrieved October 7, 2008, from http://www.blockislandinfo.com/ViewPage.aspx?SectionID=21.
Information, .P. S. A. O. E. (2007). Block Island School - Block Island, Rhode Island. Retrieved September 25, 2008, from http://schools.publicschoolsreport.com/RhodeIsland/BlockIsland/BlockIslandSchool.html.
CLIKS: Profile for New Shoreham, RI (school district). Retrieved October 7, 2008, from http://www.kidscount.org/cgi-bin/cliks.cgi?action=profile_results&subset=RI&areaid=61.
Town of New Shoreham. (2007). New Shoreham, RI. . Retrieved October 7, 2008, from http://www.town.new-shoreham.ri.us/
.
The Block Island Chamber of Commerce's Web Site. . Retrieved October 3, 2008, from http://www.blockislandchamber.com/great.html.
Infoworks 2008 report: Accountability. (2008). Information Works : Rhode Island Public Schools 2008 : School Reports. . Retrieved October 7, 2008, from http://infoworks.ride.uri.edu/2008/queries/FindSch.asp.
National Center on Public Education and Social Policy. (2008). Information Works : Expenditures. Retrieved October 6, 2008, from
http://www.infoworks.ride.uri.edu/2008/queries/FindDist.asp?District=22
U.S. Census Bureau Home Page. . Retrieved October 6, 2008, from http://www.census.gov/
CR-Eval Elizabeth J- Danielle Beauchene